Herald Chen is an American businessman, the self-made billionaire advisor and former President and CFO of AppLovin (NASDAQ: APP), a high-growth company specializing in marketing software and mobile games. His career is rooted in elite finance and technology investment. He holds a B.S. in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania and an MBA from Stanford University.

Chen's career is defined by his high-level executive roles in private equity: he previously led KKR's Technology, Media, and Telecom (TMT) division for 12 years. This experience in executing large-scale private equity investments in technology giants (overseeing investments in WebMD, Eastman Kodak, and AppLovin itself) was the foundation for his massive wealth accumulation.

Herald Chen was instrumental in KKR's strategy to dominate the TMT sector. His investment philosophy centered on identifying and transforming technology assets with high growth potential. His personal involvement in AppLovin began as a KKR investment, which he then leveraged into a massive executive role.

As President and CFO of AppLovin (a position he held from 2019), he was responsible for preparing the company for its 2021 IPO, which valued the company at $25 billion. He was awarded a substantial stock package, securing his multi-billion dollar fortune (he owns nearly 1 percent of AppLovin through exercised and unexercised stock options). In January 2024, Chen transitioned from President to an advisor role to the CEO, while retaining his seat on the board. His career is a testament to the profitability of executing high-stakes private equity exits in the technology sector.

Herald Chen's social impact is structural, stemming from his role in capitalizing and transforming major technology and media companies globally through KKR. His work at AppLovin drives economic activity and job creation in the mobile technology sector.

His personal philanthropy supports various educational and community initiatives. His career provides an example of a financial executive successfully pivoting into a hands-on corporate leadership role to manage a multi-billion dollar IPO and subsequent growth.

Herald Chen maintains the professional, composed style of a financial executive. His attire is consistently formal and high-quality, favoring tailored suits. His aesthetic reflects his stability and financial authority, befitting a former KKR leader.

Residing in Hillsborough, California, his luxury is the immense security and financial reward derived from his multi-billion dollar fortune. His life is dedicated to strategic technology investment, corporate governance, and the profitable growth of the mobile and software sectors.